The cane toad, or Rhinella marina, was introduced to the Hawaiian Islands in 1932 by sugar cane farmers. The farmers released the toads in their crops to help control pests that were damaging the sugar cane. The cane toad has few natural predators because it secretes a poisonous toxin that kills the animals that consume it. As a result, the cane toad population thrived, and by 1935, it numbered hundreds of thousands. Which role does the cane toad play in the Hawaiian Islands? native species invasive species reintroduced species endangered species